Streetlight People
by lovelimitsnone
Summary: Life is full of choices - especially when you're a teenage girl caught between figuring out who you are and who you want to be. It probably doesn't help having two boys tugging on your heart strings either. AH
1. Moving Day

**= Streetlight People =**

**Extended Summary - **

Life is full of choices - especially when you're a teenage girl caught between figuring out who you are and who you want to be. It probably doesn't help having two boys tugging on your heart strings either. When a new boy moves to town, Bella's entire future is thrown into chaos. Sometimes the easiest road, isn't the right one.

Chapter Note -

_Each chapter will be based around a picture, but not limited to what that picture details, its just for reference to move the story along or feature in that chapter. There are links on my profile or they are available to view and read along on my livejournal site. Thanks, L. x_

**~3*3~**

_Bella_

God I loved this time of the afternoon.

The end of our street was always empty. The only noises you could hear came from the ocean smashing into the cliffs behind my house, and the main road that was at least a block away. Other than the few birds that were around, it was fairly peaceful.

Perfect bike riding time.

I put on the large straw floppy hat that Rose had bought me last summer and dusted off my large red bike. I kind of wished it still had a basket on the front - just like it used to when we were kids - but that had fallen apart long ago.

Rose.

I missed her more than I thought I would.

Last summer we'd been inseparable. We'd done everything together. Sleep overs, sunning ourselves on my parent's deck, ice creams on the boardwalk.

Everything.

This year was different though. This year she'd found boys. Or should I say _one_ boy.

Emmett McCarty.

And I was... well I was out here, on our street riding my bike all on my own.

As I turned the corner of our culdesac once more, a new sound had me lifting my head. One of those do-it-yourself moving van's was pulling into the old Cope house that had been empty since Mrs. Cope had passed two winters ago.

Curiosity - being one of my less than stellar traits - had me pushing my bike up the hill and non too innocently gawking around the side of the truck.

There were two, big sweaty guys in overalls lifting a bright orange sofa out of the back. It was the ugliest color I'd ever seen - and with my mother still living in the seventies - that was saying something. A tall, blonde woman stood in the middle of the front yard, hands on her hips and was gazing up towards the house. The edges of her canary yellow dress flirted in the breeze just above her knees. Even from her profile I could tell she was beautiful. Old like my mother, but beautiful just the same.

"Edward! Edward! Where are you?"

She continued gazing up at the house and I let my eyes wander around the yard, trying to find this 'Edward' person. Would it be her husband? A small child? Someone around my age maybe?

"Loud isn't she." A low, gravelly tone whispered into my ear.

As I attempted to turn and see where the voice was coming from, my bike slipped sending me and it to the ground below. The sharp rocks pressed into every part of my body - even deeper where my clothing wasn't covering and it hurt like a bitch. Tears pooled in my eyes and when I looked up to the sound of laughter, the sob in my throat turned into choking anger.

How dare whoever this was laugh at me! It was his fault I fell in the first place!

I shifted the bike up, pushing it off my limbs and finally caught sight of the body behind the creepy voice.

He obviously dyed his hair, because no one had those shades of burnt reds and umbers naturally. It shone bright and shifted messily in the wind that had started to pick up. Long spindly fingers reached down towards me and it was only when his head covered the sun, high in the sky that I could see his face.

Pretty moss green eyes, deep set with high cheek bones and a jaw line that was straight and strong. His lips were stained blue in the middle as his smile became lopsided around the stick of the sucker he was chewing on.

And dammit if he didn't take all my words away.

"You need a hand there, Peeper?"

**~3*3~**

_I know this is short, future chapters will be longer, this was more to get an idea out of my head. I currently do not have a beta (though I am sure this is obvious) and will be looking for one in the future. Thoughts? I'd like to hear them, L. x_


	2. Chivalry Isn't Quite Dead

**= Streetlight People =**

Chapter Note -

_Each chapter will be based around a picture, but not limited to what that picture details, its just for reference to move the story along or feature in that chapter. There are links on my profile or they are available to view and read along on my livejournal site. Thanks, L. x_

**~3*3~**

_Edward_

Blue. Orange. More Blue. White. Cream. Some sort of grey.

No green.

Unless you counted the palm fronds and oddly shaped cactus plants that littered everyone's yards.

No real green though.

I missed the green. I missed the trees and that smell that you find in old forests. That cross between decaying leaf matter, water lying hidden somewhere and fresh new growth. I missed breathing in that scent, letting it fill my chest and having to stretch out my arms wide just to accommodate the oxygen seeping into my lungs.

If I breathed in that deeply here, I'd just end up with a nose full of smog.

Fucking LA.

Fucking LA and its cars and shitty public transport and its care factor of zero for the environment.

Fucking LA and my stupid bitch of a step mother who made us move out here, just so she could try her hand at being a real 'actress'. The only place that airhead was bound to act was in some second rate porn movie.

If the thin walls of my old home were anything to go by - she already had the skills for that role.

This room wasn't anything like my old one. My old room had style. My old room had my height over the years marked into the door of my closet. Twenty-three marks for seventeen years. Sometimes one or two a year, when I'd convinced my Mom that I'd grown over the summer before school began and I'd make her measure me again.

They were all painted over now. Washed clean for a new family to make memories in. New memories that my Dad thought we would make out here. Out here in sunny, bright and _smoggy_ LA with his _new _wife, in our _new _home, at my _new _school, where I'd make _new _friends.

Bullshit.

No one makes new friends starting in senior year. Cliques are made and not broken from middle school. I'd just be that 'new kid' that no one really gave a shit about after the first few weeks. Sure, I'd be all distracting for a month, all bright and shiny - a toy for the bullies to test out no doubt. Not that I really cared about making friends or gaining enemies. I was just here long enough to get the grades I needed for Harvard and for Dad to come through on my college fund.

As soon as that money hit my bank account from the trust it was sitting and gaining interest in, I was out of here as fast as my rusted out VW Bug could leave a trail of dirt behind me.

That day, couldn't come soon enough.

The white moving van pulled into the street, blocking my view of all the bright and glaringly 'wow' colors of the neighborhood. Sasha appeared on the lawn, already playing her little powertrip role of 'Doctor Masen's wife', and began directing the movers on what was to go where. I heard my name mentioned and figured I should make an appearance - if only to slip away as soon as she found something new to take her interest. I stepped away from the window, the curtains playing in the light ocean breeze and headed down stairs.

My foot steps echoed loudly down the bare wooden staircase, reminding me of how empty it was in here. I heard her calling my name again as the two burly movers juggled my mother's off white egg chair through the front door. Her whine was why I'd stayed upstairs in the first place, she wasn't happy I had tagged along while Dad stayed back to finish the house settlement. That and she was still pissed with what I'd brought with us.

In particular, that awfully retro piece of plastic the movers were huffing and puffing with now. Sasha hated that couch, it didn't 'go' with any of the new things she'd bought - with my Dad's money mind you. Edward Senior was far too blinded by her big white teeth and big strawberry blonde hair and her big Double D 'payed-for-by-my-father' boobs to notice his bank balance diminishing.

However, I get one scratch on her ugly white Saab convertible and I'm the one having to find an after school job to pay the damages. I had tried to pass it off as her bad driving skills - she made Mister Magoo look like a rally driver - but the large red lines were a little too obvious, especially when they matched the white of her car left on the side of mine.

Another great thing about moving here, the job I'd had back in Georgetown was fun. Running the register at Makkena's Market was easy. I got to hang with Garrett and Peter every afternoon after school and on Sundays when it got slow, Peter's mom would let us off and pay us a full day. My dad was never the wiser. Here, I wouldn't have that. Here I didn't have anything or anyone that would be a saving grace to escape to when Sasha became too much to handle.

Here, I just had me.

With that thought in mind, I decided to skip out on seeing what the plastic bitch wanted and duck out through the kitchen instead. I'd noticed the beginnings of a path between two of the houses at the bottom of the street when we drove in. Maybe it would lead down the cliff to the beach below, maybe it wouldn't and I'd just get lost and fall to my death on the rocks below.

Morbid much?

I shook my head of my dark thoughts and crept around the side, keeping an eye on Sasha as she barked off more orders. The movers were now lifting another of my Mom's 'classic' pieces, a ratty orangey brown two seater that once took pride of place in our den, and would now be a tight squeeze in my new bedroom. I ran quickly from my place amongst the spiky ornamental grasses that grew at the side of the house over to the side of the truck. I could hear her calling for me again and as I pressed my back to the warm metal of the van and looked up the street I saw _her._

Dark brown waves spilling out from under a giant, ugly straw hat that had a rip on one side so I could see the tip of one very red ear. Her legs looked so very long as she straddled the middle of her bike, the edge of her gray shorts riding up as she leaned around the opposite end of the van. I silently stepped closer, not really thinking about why I was doing so but moving nevertheless.

The closer I got, the more I could see. Her skin was abnormally pale for the people I'd met around here. Everyone was the same shade of tan and orange but not her, no she was alabaster, pearl and fresh cream skin wrapped over fine bones. Her little red shirt was tight on her body, and wet in a line down her back. It was hot out here and even that poor excuse for a hat wouldn't provide much shade.

Her bike was red and dented in places, but looked to be either something her mother or grandmother had been proud to own back in the day, or purchased now as some great retro throwback to times past. It was too round, too big in places where now everything was streamlined and compact. The white seat matched her little white shoes, they sent a small stone skidding when she righted her feet. She'd lost her grip on the handlebars with one exceptionally loud calling of my name from 'Mother Dearest'.

Even without seeing her face, I was intrigued.

Before I knew it I was close enough to breathe her in, all apple fresh and sea salt scented from maybe an earlier swim at the beach or had she ridden close by it? I switched the sucker I'd been chewing on to one side of my mouth and leaned in. She smelt delicious and maybe it was because I was thinking more of salt water taffy and how they made it into perfume that I wasn't really aware of the words tumbling from my lips.

"Loud, isn't she."

Three words and the girl was tumbling to the ground in front of me. The bike falling with her and her head making this loud thunk with the gravel below making me feel like a complete asshole.

Which I probably was considering how I just appeared out of nowhere and into her personal space.

_Way to go Masen, just the way to make new friends now isn't it._

The only upside to her lying at my feet was that her hat had fallen backwards and her heartshaped - very annoyed - face was now on show. Even under the blustering pink tinge that was rapidly deepening in color I could see the freckles that were dusted over her cheeks and nose. Her dark brown eyes were glittering with tears and her lips -although pulled into a tight line - were obviously full and kissable when they weren't.

Beautiful.

Completely pissed off and liable to lift her leg and kick me in the nuts - but beautiful all the same.

So beautiful that I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I reached down to help her up.

"You need a hand there, Peeper?" I asked, laughing without meaning to. If the look in her eyes was anything to go by, I really shouldn't be speaking at all.

She pushed the bike upwards, but wasn't getting very far. I figured it was probably a good idea to help, but just as my hand touched the bar of the bike - also somewhat brushing against her now bare midriff from where her shirt had risen - she screamed at me.

"Don't touch me!"

I laughed and continued to move the bike, kicking the wheel back around so it face the right way.

"Oh my god, what is your _problem_? First you make me fall, and now your kicking my shit?" She knocked away my hand as attempted to help her up while holding the bike.

"I'm sorry if me trying to help you after catching you spying on my house is such a problem," I huffed, her attitude to me just trying to keep chivalry alive in this situation was aggravating to say the least.

She leaned onto her hand, trying to use it to push herself up from the ground and winced as her elbow buckled under the pressure.

"Ahh, fuck!" she hissed.

I moved the bike to lean it against the side of the truck and knelt down beside her, taking her wrist into my hand. It was already swelling.

"Did I say you could touch me?" she whimpered as I gently turned her hand from side to side.

"Just keep still."

She actually managed to stay quiet, her big front teeth pressed firmly into that earlier deduced fat bottom lip and only sniffed as I checked her wrist lightly for broken bones. Not that I knew what I was looking for, but it made me feel a little better after being the main cause of her fall.

"Your hands are really soft," She looked up at me with those big brown eyes again and this time instead of burning hatred I saw something else, something softer there.

"But if this is broken, I'm gonna kick your ass if I have to get a cast."

And there was the snark I'd so recently gotten to know.

"It's probably sprained, you can still wriggle your fingers right?" I asked still not letting her go. There was something about how her skin felt against mine that was just... right.

Her fingers moved and her nostrils flared with how forcefully she was breathing, but didn't move her hand either. "I can wriggle my fingers Doogie, now are you going to help me up or what?" She raised her right eyebrow and cocked her head to the side, I was guessing that the little tremble in the corner of her lips was an attempt to hide a grin or a giggle.

"I thought you didn't want my help? As I recall you said something about not touching you?" I couldn't help but let one little chuckle through and her eyes softened further as a small smile graced her lips.

I liked this, the smile made her even prettier than before.

"Well it wasn't like you listened even thought I said it twice. Plus, its your fault that I fell, so you really should at the _very_ least help a girl up."

"I think I could do that." This strange feeling had my gut twisting and my blood buzzing in my veins. She smiled even wider as I guided her to standing, using my free hand to hold her uninjured one.

Man was she small. Her head only just came up to my shoulders, perfect height for me to rest my chin upon in that little nook that girls were supposed to fit into during slow dances and such. A flash of her in a long gown and me in a suit, moving slowly to unheard music flitted through my head and it felt strange that it _didn't_ feel strange to think like that.

I really must be hard up if I'm picturing a random future with some peeping tom neighbour.

Albeit very cute and sexy when pissed off neighbour at that.

"Thanks," she looked up from her position just inches from having her body against mine and I found there were flecks of gold and even green amongst the dark chocolate of her eyes.

I squeezed her fingertips that were still linked with mine and smiled, crushing the last of the blue pop in my teeth as I did so.

"I should... I should probably get home. My mom will be back soon." she stuttered and stumbled and chewed on the inside of her lip again. She was going to cut that up into a bloody mess if she wasn't careful.

"Yeah, I should probably help with the moving stuff." I said, still locked into her gaze, still enjoying the feeling of her hands in mine.

We were both quiet for a moment, the sounds of the surf as loud in my ears as my heart. Why it was pounding so loudly was strange, I couldn't already... like this girl could I?

She was a stranger. A hot stranger with a fiery temper and a quick wit. A hot stranger with a snarky mouth that matched those full lips and eyes I was finding myself lost in.

"You can let me go now." she whispered, her tongue flicking across that bruised bottom lip the moment she disengaged her teeth from it and i found myself leaning in and repeating the action.

There was only one reason a guy or girl licked their lips with their faces this close.

Was she going to kiss me?

Better question, why was I considering kissing her?

"There you are, Edward. I've been ca-" Sasha burst around the side of the van and in a second her tone changed from annoyance to the flirty whine she used with my Father. "Oh, you're making friends already. That's just darling. Now who do we have here, Eddie? You're not going to be rude and not introduce me are you?"

The girl stepped backwards, letting my hands drop from hers and rearranged her hat on her head before picking up her bike from where it was still against the truck. She gave Sasha a tight smile and then swung her leg over the seat and made to get on.

"Bella Swan, ma'am. I live down the street and I was just um, leaving."

And with a quick spin of the handlebar and a kick of her foot on the pedal she was gone, back down to the bottom of the street. Her bike wobbled a little on the road - most likely from her bent wheel and I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed that Sasha showed up when she did.

"Oh, well. She seemed... nice." Sasha's nasal tone interupted my continued adoration of the girl - Bella's behind as she rode away. I found it highly annoying and not just because I couldn't normally stand to hear Sasha's voice.

"Her name's Bella." I corrected her. _Bella_. Her name was Bella. I let the word roll around my head and tuned the rest of what Sasha was saying out as Bella's form disapeared into the driveway closest to the path I'd thought about exploring earlier.

Which was perfect really, now I'd have a reason to be the peeping tom neighbour in return.

"Edward? Are you even listening I said that you're father will be here next week, he's been delayed with some contract deal thing and has had to push forward his flight."

Great, no dad for another week, which, even though it meant one more week with the plastic bitch, was one more week without his criticism of my life either.

One more week to get to know my Peeper that much better.

**~3*3~**

**A/**n Thanks for all the positive responses so far! The reviews, the favorites and alerts have me excited to share this story as it develops! L, xo.


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